Northwestern University Athletics
#B1GCats Host Virginia for 2016 Big Ten/ACC Challenge
5/25/2016 10:26:00 AM | Women's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conferences announced on Wednesday the matchups for the 10th annual Big Ten/ACC Women's Basketball Challenge. Northwestern will host Virginia for this year's edition of the Challenge on Thursday, Dec. 1.
This is the third all-time meeting between the Wildcats and Cavaliers as the all-time series is currently tied 1-1. These two squads last met during the 2004-05 season in the Roger L. White Invitational when the Cavaliers recorded a 76-55 win over NU.
Virginia wrapped up a 2015-16 season that saw the squad reach the WNIT Round of 16. The Cavaliers finished the year with a 18-16 overall record and a 6-10 mark in ACC play.
The #B1GCats finished the year with their fifth postseason appearance under head coach Joe McKeown after finishing the season 18-16 overall. Northwestern won 10-straight games to open the season for the second-straight year. NU was one of just two Big Ten teams to open the season with 10-consecutive wins before dropping its first game of the year against No. 16 DePaul on Dec. 19. Northwestern closed out its non-conference slate with an 11-1 mark for the best start to a season under McKeown.
For the first time in school history, Northwestern won three games in the Big Ten Tournament. Despite the absence of sharpshooter Maggie Lyon, the 'Cats defeated Wisconsin, then pulled out upset victories over fifth-seeded Minnesota and No. 4 seed Indiana. With the wins, the Wildcats reached the Big Ten Tournament semifinals for the second-consecutive year.
The Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conferences announced on Wednesday the matchups for the 10th annual ACC/Big Ten Women's Basketball Challenge. The annual challenge is extended through the 2020 season and will feature 14 matchups for the third consecutive season.
Challenge games are set for a two-day format, beginning Wednesday, Nov. 30 with Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota hosting home games, and Michigan State, Penn State and Purdue playing on the road. On Thursday, Dec. 1, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers and Wisconsin will serve as host teams, while Indiana, Maryland, Michigan and Nebraska will play road games.
In each of the last two seasons, the Big Ten and ACC closed out the two-day event in a 7-7 tie. In the last Challenge, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern and Wisconsin recorded wins for the Big Ten.
The Big Ten and ACC Conference offices collaborate to determine the schedule each season. In addition, the official title of the Challenge rotates each year. The 2016 event will be referred to as the ACC/Big Ten Women's Basketball Challenge and will continue to mirror the official title of the two conferences' Challenge agreement for men's basketball.
The Big Ten and the ACC have long been among the most competitive conferences on the women's basketball scene. The Big Ten sent five teams to the NCAA Tournament in 2016, as Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue all advanced to the national tournament. In addition, six conference squads were selected to the WNIT. Last season, the ACC saw five women's basketball teams selected to the NCAA Tournament, while four advanced to the WNIT.
Game times, as well as television and broadband coverage, will be announced at a later date. The complete schedule of home/away matchups can be found below.
Wednesday, Nov. 30
Penn State at Boston College
Wake Forest at Illinois
Notre Dame at Iowa
Florida State at Minnesota
Purdue at Pittsburgh
Michigan State at Syracuse
Thursday, Dec. 1
Michigan at Georgia Tech
Maryland at Louisville
Indiana at NC State
Virginia at Northwestern
Miami at Ohio State
Duke at Rutgers
Nebraska at Virginia Tech
North Carolina at Wisconsin
This is the third all-time meeting between the Wildcats and Cavaliers as the all-time series is currently tied 1-1. These two squads last met during the 2004-05 season in the Roger L. White Invitational when the Cavaliers recorded a 76-55 win over NU.
Virginia wrapped up a 2015-16 season that saw the squad reach the WNIT Round of 16. The Cavaliers finished the year with a 18-16 overall record and a 6-10 mark in ACC play.
The #B1GCats finished the year with their fifth postseason appearance under head coach Joe McKeown after finishing the season 18-16 overall. Northwestern won 10-straight games to open the season for the second-straight year. NU was one of just two Big Ten teams to open the season with 10-consecutive wins before dropping its first game of the year against No. 16 DePaul on Dec. 19. Northwestern closed out its non-conference slate with an 11-1 mark for the best start to a season under McKeown.
For the first time in school history, Northwestern won three games in the Big Ten Tournament. Despite the absence of sharpshooter Maggie Lyon, the 'Cats defeated Wisconsin, then pulled out upset victories over fifth-seeded Minnesota and No. 4 seed Indiana. With the wins, the Wildcats reached the Big Ten Tournament semifinals for the second-consecutive year.
The Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conferences announced on Wednesday the matchups for the 10th annual ACC/Big Ten Women's Basketball Challenge. The annual challenge is extended through the 2020 season and will feature 14 matchups for the third consecutive season.
Challenge games are set for a two-day format, beginning Wednesday, Nov. 30 with Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota hosting home games, and Michigan State, Penn State and Purdue playing on the road. On Thursday, Dec. 1, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers and Wisconsin will serve as host teams, while Indiana, Maryland, Michigan and Nebraska will play road games.
In each of the last two seasons, the Big Ten and ACC closed out the two-day event in a 7-7 tie. In the last Challenge, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern and Wisconsin recorded wins for the Big Ten.
The Big Ten and ACC Conference offices collaborate to determine the schedule each season. In addition, the official title of the Challenge rotates each year. The 2016 event will be referred to as the ACC/Big Ten Women's Basketball Challenge and will continue to mirror the official title of the two conferences' Challenge agreement for men's basketball.
The Big Ten and the ACC have long been among the most competitive conferences on the women's basketball scene. The Big Ten sent five teams to the NCAA Tournament in 2016, as Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue all advanced to the national tournament. In addition, six conference squads were selected to the WNIT. Last season, the ACC saw five women's basketball teams selected to the NCAA Tournament, while four advanced to the WNIT.
Game times, as well as television and broadband coverage, will be announced at a later date. The complete schedule of home/away matchups can be found below.
Wednesday, Nov. 30
Penn State at Boston College
Wake Forest at Illinois
Notre Dame at Iowa
Florida State at Minnesota
Purdue at Pittsburgh
Michigan State at Syracuse
Thursday, Dec. 1
Michigan at Georgia Tech
Maryland at Louisville
Indiana at NC State
Virginia at Northwestern
Miami at Ohio State
Duke at Rutgers
Nebraska at Virginia Tech
North Carolina at Wisconsin
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